This one is rather significant in that it will be the last time these two teams play as in-conference rivals. If I recall correctly, there are only two other rivalries which have played more often than this one, so hopefully we're in for an interesting game.

Officially, the reason given is that Texas has their non-con schedule through 2018 and can't make room for another game. Unofficially, Texas bitterly fought the A&M move to the SEC (going as far as retaining a lobbying firm to work on the Texas Legislature). Since Texas is refusing to schedule A&M in any sport, I tend to favor the unofficial explanation.

Thank the BCS computers for that. Texas gets zero votes in the AP poll, and one 25th-place vote in the coaches poll. The BCS computers, however, love the Big 12. They have OK State 2nd, Kansas St. 5th, Oklahoma 6th, Baylor 13th, and Texas 20th. They have 6-5 Texas three slots ahead of 9-2 Wisconsin and three slots behind 9-2 Michigan State (who is two slots behind Michigan, so they're not all bad). Apparently, they don't require teams to play both offense and defense in order to be good, because I don't think any Big 12 team can do both.

Oh I know that Brown is under criticism and a lot of it. How could he be not? My anology is based on the talent level both coaches were entitled to and the lack of any results on the field. Bad coaching is bad coaching no matter where it is coached.

I'm not sure how they are showing more patience than us. Brown had to rebuild Texas when he got there. They didn't win anything under John Mackovic, his predecessor. It was Brown who turned them into a recruiting juggernaut. In a way he's more like their Bo Schembechler than Carr - but he's obviously not revered that way by UT fans.

Well, he was until 2010. From 2001-09, Texas went 11-2, 11-2, 10-3, 11-1, 13-0, 10-3, 10-3, 12-1 and 13-1. He had a phenomenal winning percentage prior to last year. And yet, Brown has never been held in very high esteem. People were calling him an underachiever even after some of those one-loss seasons. Only in the last two years has he truly underachieved.

These teams are both awful. The real problem with the BCS is in the back end rankings. How is Texas ranked in the BCS? Also, Notre Dame. Big name programs are always waiting in the wings (15-25) even when they are having bad years.

Saw that. I thought the same thing: "What a complete disconnect from the moment . . . a key moment in a rivalry seeped in tradition that defines the very essence of CFB, and what to we have here? A maroon 'Go Aggies!, Shut Down Texas!' banner paraded in front of the A&M crowd by the yell leaders?"

No, we have a arena football-worthy blue neon advertising sign for a mattress company that says SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP.